Saint Lucia’s table tennis team warmed up for participation at the Central American and Caribbean Games with the National Premier League and National Championships, featuring men’s and women’s team and individual competition.
The addition of DeAndre Calderon for the playoffs proved decisive, as Rising Stars remained unbeaten in the postseason. They overcame defending champions Eagles 3-0 in the title tilt. Khamari Harris also played a crucial supporting role, defeating top opposition throughout the playoffs.
According to head coach Chris Wells, the tournaments played a vital role in preparing the nation’s athletes for the CAC Games, scheduled for August 1–8 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
“Our League ran from February to July 2026. This provided our players several months of consistent competition,” Wells told St Lucia Times. “The players were able to apply technical and tactical skills developed during training in a competitive environment. The players were exposed to various match situations, different styles of play, and pressure scenarios, helping to improve decision-making, match management and mental resilience.”
The National Premier League featured seven teams, including all six members of the team for Santo Domingo – Calderon, Manie Eleuthere and Leshon Francis for the men’s competition, and Shatal Charles, Zarianne Anthony and Cherese Darcheville for the women’s.
“As a coach, it helped me and other technical members to monitor performance trends, identify weaknesses and make adjustments to our training programs leading into both the qualifiers and the CAC Games,” Wells said.
“Our National Championships further enhanced preparation by providing a highly competitive environment where our best players competed for national titles. Events included women’s teams and doubles, mixed doubles, men’s doubles and singles. This allowed our team members to sharpen their competitive edge and gain valuable match practice under tournament conditions.
“The championships served as an important assessment tool for us to evaluate athletes’ current form, physical readiness, and ability to execute game plans against the nation’s strongest opposition.
“My expectations [in Santo Domingo] are for our athletes to compete fearlessly and to give their best, since the aim was to have them peak for the games. The players all have individual goals and so being able to execute tactically with good technique, being mentally ready and being confident in their athletic abilities are some of the things that will be observed.”
Rising Stars comprised Calderon, Harris, Wells, and teenager Daniella Symphorien, who recorded dominant victories over Tigers, Challengers and Warriors en route to the finals. Eagles included Eleuthere, Francis and Leonardo Bovell. They were the most consistent team during the regular season, with 5-0 victories over Challengers, Blazers, Tigers and Lucian Strikers.
Blazers were the most competitive women’s team, featuring strong performances from Shatal Charles, Zarianne Anthony and Cherese Darcheville. Calderon was the best male performer, and Charles was the top female singles performer, as she continued to establish herself among the country’s elite athletes.
